Method of producing continuous stringer workpieces with continuous covering members thereon



Jan, 24, 1961 2,969,029

L. H. MORIN 7 METHOD OF PRODUCING CONTINUOUS STRINGER WORKPIECES WITH CONTINUOUS COVERING MEMBERS THEREON Filed NOV. 4, 1958 INVENTOR. A 00/5 H MoR/n/ BY, W

H TTORNE Y United States PatentO 2.262.029: METHOD; F PRODUCING CGNTINUGUS STRINGER WORKPIECESJ- (EON-TINU OUS COVERING MEMBERSa'TI-IEREON Louis-H, Morin, Bronx, N.Y,., assignor' to Coats'&Clark" Inc., NewYork, N;Y., acorporation of Delaware" Eiled;Nov.- 4,,1958,,Ser. No..'l.-7'1, 196; 1 Claim. (GI; 112-265) This invention relates to the production (inseparable.

fastener stringers employing stringer tapes, with scoops.

spaced longitudinally of a beadedv edge of the stringer. and, wherein, each stringer has, protruding mounting tape ends extending. beyond. end. scoops of the stringer. More particularly, the invention deals with the method of producing separable fasteners of the character d e scribed, wherein the stringers are first formed in. what I term a continuous stringer workpiece, including con, tinuous covering members in the form of tapes, ribbons. or other strands, stitched to the workpiece in a continuous line ofsti-t'ch ing, which extends over the mounting end portions of scoops and continuously and uninterruptedly through substantially the central portion ofi said; covering members and. onto said members in the spacing of themountting, tape, between adjacent groups of scoops, onlthe workpiece.

Still more. particularly, the invention deals in a. method as defined, wherein the covering members are maintained substantially in a. common alinement, along the beaded edgeof, the, stringer tapes and the mounting end portions oflthe scoops, in such manner astoexpose inner surfaces of'the mounting end' portions ofthe scoops to be engaged by the slider employed with devices of this type and kind in coupling and uncoupling a pair of stringers.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a portion of a stringer workpiece primarily illustrating the spacing of the stringer tape between spaced groups of scoops defining stringer lengths and illustrating the stitching of one of the covering tapes to a surface of the workpiece.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view illustrating somewhat more in detail the arrangement of a few scoops on the beaded edge of a stringer tape and indicating the two covering members stitched to the tape and to part of the spaced portion of the tape between groups of scoops, diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the line 44 of Fig. 2, with part of the construction broken away.

In the production of separable fastener stringers in accordance with my improved method, an elongated substantially endless stringer tape is fed into and through a casting machine for forming groups of scoops along the beaded edge of the stringer tape, the groups of scoops defining a stringer length. These stringer lengths vary, depending upon the lengths that are required and this substantially endless formation of the spaced groups of scoops on the stringer tape, I will define, for purposes of description, as a workpiece.

disposedfupon opposed surfaces of and;

The; workpiece. is them fedi through-a stitching onsew ing machine, where. two covering: members are arranged-- upon upper. and lower surfaces of the workpiece overthemounting end portion of the scoops and stitched in positioniby. a: line of stitching disposedsubstantially con-- trail)! of said-members: and these: members are arranged to extend along. and be: stitched to: the: stringer tape-in the continuous. lineof? stitching and s0 timed as to pick" up the next successive groups of scoops, thus producing; the continuous: resulting end product, comprising the tape=with the groups of scoops thereon and the cover?" ing members stitched thereto; whereupon; the Work-- piece-issevered substantiallycentrally. between the spaced groups of scoops in" defining the: stringer lengths, each shown in Fig. 1 0f the drawinga' few scoopsat ends of,

spaced groups of 'scoops on the workpiece-stringer '10 and part ofthescoops 12-are also diagrammaticallyillustrated in Fig. 2ofi thedrawing;

Between the= groups; 1 2, 12"','the workpiece includes: as spacing portion: 13; on whichthe attachment of scoops,

has been omitted and; in carrying out my method; this: 385;

spacing portion is; later severed substantially centrally, indicated' at' 14?, to provide; ou each; end-1 of 'the' groups off scoops; fastener securing? portions, 15, 15

In Fig. 1 of thedrawing, P have indicated} at -16 ant upper covering member; which is; a=lsoillustrated inpa'rt, in F-ig, 20f the drawing-and; in Fig. 2',as-'well as iii-Figs: 3 and 4, I have shown the opposed or: lower coverings member at 16-. These members can be formed' of rib bons, tapes, cords or other elongated members of any suitable material and of such width as to cover the mounting end portions 17 of the scoops 12, 12, as clearly noted in Fig. 2 of the drawing, but positioned so that the inner edges 18, 18' of the covering members are disposed in alinement with inner surfaces of the mounting end portions 17, as clearly noted in Fig. 4 of the drawing. By this method of procedure, the inner surfaces of the mounting end portions 17 of the scoops are exposed for engagement with the slider, which is movable along the stringers in coupling and uncoupling stringers, as is well known in the separable fastener art.

Considering Fig. 4 of the drawing, it will appear that the mounting end portions 17 of the scoops have vertically and upwardly and downwardly flaring apertures 19. In illustrating one adaptation and use of my method, the scoops 12, 12' are preferably made of plastics and plastics such as Delrin can be used.

At 20 in the several views, I have shown the stitchings which extend centrally along the coverings 16, 16 and pass through the apertures 19 of the scoops and through part of the beaded edge 11 of the stringer tape, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the covering members being maintained in an alinement along the stringers or the workpiece, as noted in Fig. 1 of the drawing and, by maintaining this longitudinal alinement, the resulting end product stringers will be practical for their intended use.

The spacing of the stitchings 20 on the covering members and stringers and with respect to the scoops is such as to register with the apertures 19 of all of the adjacent scoops and to extend along the spacing section 13 and then pick up the next end scoops of the adjacent group of scoops, in the manner diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, this result being accomplished without interference with or changing the continuous cycle of operation of attachment of the covering members to the stringers. Considering Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will be apparent that the securing portion, or end 15, may be said to define the upper end of a resulting stringer; whereas, the end 15' would define the lower end of the next adjacent stringer of the workpiece, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1. In other words, each resulting stringer formed by severing the workpiece on the dotted line 14 will provide an end 15 and an end 15' thereon and these ends will include the stitched-on covering members 16, 16'.

Comparing Fig. 3 with Fig. appear that the members 16, 16 maintain substantially their same relative position upon the stringer tape 10, thereby maintaining the common alinement of these members along the stringers, including the ends 15, 15' thereof.

With my improved method, the single line of stitching will maintain the covering members in position and, at the same time, will reinforce, to a degree the attachment of-the scoops to the stringer by virtue of passing of the stitchings through the apertures 19 in each of the scoops.

By virtue of my improved method, the resulting end product can be produced very efiiciently and at a high rate of speed, thus minimizing the cost of production. The particular characteristics of the covering members will vary on different types and kinds of fasteners, depending upon the use to which they are to be applied and this is also true of the material employed in the stringer tape. In addition to structural characteristics, both the tape and the covering members can be produced in materials of different colors to suit or match the products in conjunction with which the fasteners are employed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The method of producing separable fastener stringers employing covering members on apertured mounting end portions of scoops of the stringers, with inner end surfaces on said mounting end portions adapted to be en- 4 of the drawing, it willgaged by a slider movable along the stringers for stringer coupling and uncoupling action, which method comprises forming groups of scoops on the beaded edge of a stringer tape with wide spacings between adjacent groups of scoops, placing elongated covering members in position in substantial alinement to the outer beaded edge portion of the stringer tape and to the scoops with the inner edges of said covering members along said groups of scoops free from substantial projection beyond the inner sur faces of the mounting end portions of the scoops to expose said inner surfaces for engagement with the slider, stitching said covering members in said position with a line of stitching extending along said covering members and with such registry as to cause the stitchings to pass through the apertures respectively in the mounting end portions of the scoops, continuing the stitching of the covering members along the beaded edge portion of the stringer tape and along the spacings between groups of scoops on the stringer tape, with stitching of the same type and spacing as that passing through the apertures of the scoops, and with no interruption in the continuity of the stitching in its transition from the scoops to the spacings to the scoops, whereby stitching along the groups of scoops and along the spacings can be carried out by a continuous cycle of operation and whereby a stringer workpiece is produced, and then severing the spaced por tions of the workpiece between adjacent ends of groups of scoops and at regions spaced from adjacent groups to form predetermined stringer lengths of said workpiece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,127,839 Carlile Aug. 23, 1938 2,573,046 Natzler et al. Oct. 30, 1951 2,697,227 Prupis et a1 Dec. 21, 1954 2,746,412 Roseman May 2, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 418,168 Great Britain Oct. 19, 1934 600,127 Great Britain Apr. 1, 1948 

